Dragon With Hair Slays Smallies On Quabbin, 4/30/15

[Will Wetline]

 

Don't tell my creditors please, but this season I'll be fishing Seaguar Tatsu. I first learned about this superior stuff from RichZ's September 7, 2009 Bass Blog in which he said, "Seaguar just announced the release in the USA of Tatsu. I don't know what it will cost. But from an end results/fish in the boat standpoint, it doesn't matter." High praise indeed from a well respected bassmaster.

 

The product description on ***.com reads as follows:

 

"Like the flexible, lithe, and armored scales of a dragon (tatsu means dragon in Japanese), Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon has a tough, but soft exterior, which hides incomparable inner strength." 

 

This really fired my imagination. Would I like to battle bruiser smallies with a dragon protecting my presentation? Of course. Would I care to spend $36.99 for 200 yards of reptilian ruggedness? Uh, no. How about on sale for $26.39? That I could rationalize - barely. With guilt I clicked on add to cart for a spool of 6 lb. And, hand to forehead, a spool of 8.

 

Well hey, let's go fishing.

 

 

The day started cool and gray with Quabbin's surface mostly unruffled. I had the pleasure of fishing with Bassmaster Brad again who is both a gentleman and a very savvy smallie guy. We spent the morning fishing Brad's spots which you can access from either Gate 43 or Gate 31.

 

Brad, using a Silver Buddy was having a multi-species morning featuring smallies, lakers and 

 

   

Yup. That is a landlocked salmon.

 

I too had been throwing a blade bait but neither the fish nor I were getting good vibrations. Hmph. Can't say that Brad was front ending me (not that he would under any circumstances) because we were fishing flats offshore mainly, working 10' - 20' depths.

 

I decided to try one of the baits I pour, paint and dress. I liked the looks of this jig head from the 3/16 oz. cavity of Do-It's Tapered Tube jig mold. To fish legally in Massachusetts I used the 281 alloy from rotometals.com which is 58% bismuth and 42% tin and weighs about 25% less than lead. It's dressed with bucktail and a few strands of pearl Krystal Flash. And I'll tell ya, with that Z-Man Elaztech Split Tail Trailer, it sure looked sexy undulating through the water. Here's a bass that thought so too:

 

 

This fish came unexpectedly. I had switched my rod to my left hand so I could grab the net and hand it to Brad. While doing this, the rod came to life.

 

So now I know a smallmouth will pick up a jig dragging bottom. Why not try the 1/8 oz. (alloy = 3/32 oz.) ball jig with eyes. (I like the eyes - I don't believe the fish care one way or the other.)

 

Pleased to meet you!

 

 

 

There are two grizzly hackles running down the top of this jig. Feathers can be fragile but these stood up to five smallies chewing on them and will fish another day.

 

Brad tied on a black jig with a few strands of Wapsi Flashabou Accent.

 

 

And so it went for a couple of hours mid - late morning. 

 

Unfortunately I was not able to reciprocate with fish on my spots. Maybe next week when the water is a few degrees warmer. Today we fished 47º - 51º . . . slowly.

 

Considering the lack of wind and not much sun, I was well satisfied with the day's net results. Thank you, Bassmaster Brad, for your excellent company and fine net work.

 

[je1946]

Great Job Will.  I plan on being there this wk no later than Wed.  Haven't fished hair jigs in a long time but used to fish them a lot down in the kettle ponds on the Cape and caught some bruiser smallies on them,  Keep the reports coming I enjoy your post.

[Catch 22]

Nice catch,thats my kinda fishing too.

[Dwight Hottle]

Nice report.

[Bluebasser86]

Great looking smallies! I wish I was able to tie hair jigs that looked that pretty. Unfortunately, the zebra mussels eat line way too fast to fish them correctly though. 

[whitwolf]

Pretty work, Will!